Basilica of Bom Jesus Church Goa Information

Basilica of Bom Jesus is Goa’s oldest church and now recognized as the world Heritage Monument. This church dedicated to Infant Jesus. The church was constructed in the 16th century and is the most famous church in Goa. The mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier is preserved in this church. These remains are kept in a silver casket. It is counted among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the first minor Basilica in India. It is one of the must visit spots in Goa.

The church is called “Bom Jesus” meaning “holy Jesus” or “infant Jesus” to whom it is dedicated. This 400 years old church is one of the best examples of Portuguesebaroque architecture in India. Basilica of Bom Jesus church in Goa has beautiful and maintained with gardens surrounding from all sides. The major attraction of this church is the Body of St. Francis Xavier (400 years old)!

On every ten years, the body of Francis Xavier’s is displayed at the Basilica of Bom Jesus on his death anniversary for public viewing. The last display was held in the year 2014. Apart from famous beaches in north Goa, a large number of tourists visit this church!

Art Gallery

Basilica of bom Jesus is one of the wealthiest churches in Goa. The church also has an art gallery. This modern art gallery is one of the largest and one of its kinds in Asia. The gallery hosts Italian art paintings. The gallery has total 36 oil paintings that have been made between 1973 and 1976. The largest two are ‘The Last Judgement’ (6ft x 9ft) and ‘Genesis’ (4ft x 28ft). Most of the museum is designed by Giovanni Battista Foggini.

Basilica of Bom Jesus Architecture

The construction of the church was started on 24th November 1594 and completed on 15th May 1605. The entire church has been built on the principles of Jesuit architecture. The Basilica of Bom Jesus church is a 3 storied structure built of black laterite stone. The exterior architecture is a combination of Corinthian, Doric and Composite architecture styles. The principal front of a church is made of 4 elements. The lowest part consist of 3 elegant entrance gates.

The 2nd part above it has 3 windows matching to the three gates. The 3rd segment has 3 spherical windows and the 4th segment is an extravagantly quadrangle decorated with arabesque art. The church is carpeted with marble flooring and inlaid with precious stones.

The Basilica of bom Jesus church in Goa is cruciform in plan. The structure is 183 feet in length, 55 feet in the breath and 61 feet in height. The pillars and the detail designs have been carved on basalt rock. There is also a single-storied structure adjacent to the church on its southern wing, which connects it with the Professed House. It is believed that the saint has miraculous healing powers.

IMPORTANT TOURIST INFORMATION

Timing Of Church

Weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m and Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Holy hour is celebrated at 5 pm on first Friday of the month.

Best Time To Visit: The Basilica of Bom Jesus church remains open all year round. So one can visit this spot at any time of the year. The timing of church during normal days & during masses is different.

Time Required For Sightseeing: 1 Hour is enough to see Basilica of Bom Jesus church Goa.

Eating Stuff: There are some restaurants nearby the basilica of bom Jesus to grab a bite. But if are coming from Panaji or Vasco then those cities have more options to eat.

Accommodation: As the church is nor far from Panaji, it is a good option to stay in Panaji. Panaji has many hotels & resorts offering comfortable accommodation facilities.

How To Reach

The Basilica of Bom Jesus church is just 9 km away from the capital of Goa-Panaji city. So you can easily get the cab at Panaji to reach this church. You can also reach here from Vasco da Gama city or Madgaon city. If you are far away from these cities then catching the cab or taking rental bike is the best option.

Nearest Airport: Dabolim Airport is the closest airport to this church. It is 30 km away from Panaji city and has daily flights from Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, Chennai, Bangalore and chartered flights from overseas countries.

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Hey guys..I am Kunal Patil! A travel blogger, author & founder of this blog from Mumbai. I am trying to show you the popular as well as unexplored leisure spots in the Maharashtra via this blog! Do subscribe!